§36.6.1in Boeotiam ipse profectus est, causas in speciem irae adversus Romanos eas, quas ante dixi, habentem, Brachyllae necem et bellum a Quinctio Coroneae propter Romanorum militum caedes illatum, §36.6.2re vera per multa iam saecula publice privatimque labante egregia quondam disciplina gentis et multorum eo statu, qui diuturnus esse sine mutatione rerum non posset.
He himself set out for Boeotia, which had as the ostensible causes of its anger against the Romans those which I mentioned before, the murder of Brachylles and the war brought upon Coronea by Quinctius on account of the slaughter of the Roman soldiers, though in reality, the once excellent discipline of the nation had already for many generations been declining both publicly and privately, and the circumstances of many were in such a state as could not long endure without a revolution.
§36.6.3obviam effusis undique Boeotiae principibus Thebas venit.
He came to Thebes, with the leading men of Boeotia flocking from all sides to meet him.
ibi in concilio gentis, quamquam et ad Delium impetu in praesidium Romanum facto et ad Chalcidem commiserat nec parvis nec dubiis principiis bellum, tamen eandem orationem est exorsus, §36.6.4qua in colloquio primo ad Chalcidem quaque per legatos in concilio Achaeorum usus erat, ut amicitiam secum institui, non bellum indici Romanis postularet.
There, in the council of the nation, although he had already commenced war by no small or doubtful beginnings, both by making an attack on the Roman garrison at Delium and also at Chalcis, he nevertheless began the same speech, which he had used in his first conference at Chalcis, and which he had used through his envoys in the council of the Achaeans, requesting that friendship should be established with him, not that war should be declared against the Romans.
neminem, quid ageretur, fallebat; §36.6.5decretum tamen sub leni verborum praetextu pro rege adversus Romanos factum est.
No one was deceived as to what was being done; nevertheless, a decree was passed in favor of the king and against the Romans under a mild pretext of words.
§36.6.6hac quoque gente adiuncta Chalcidem regressus, praemissis inde litteris, ut Demetriadem convenirent principes Aetolorum, cum quibus de summa rerum deliberaret, navibus eo ad diem indictum concilio venit.
Having joined this nation also to his cause, he returned to Chalcis, and from there, having sent letters ahead that the chiefs of the Aetolians should assemble at Demetrias, with whom he might deliberate on the general state of affairs, he came thither by ship on the day appointed for the council.
§36.6.7et Amynander, accitus ad consultandum ex Athamania, et Hannibal Poenus, iam diu non adhibitus, interfuit ei consilio.
Both Amynander, summoned from Athamania to consult, and Hannibal the Carthaginian, who had not been admitted to council for a long time, were present at that meeting.
§36.6.8consultatum de Thessalorum gente est, quorum omnibus, qui aderant, voluntas temptanda videbatur.
Deliberation was held concerning the nation of the Thessalians, whose disposition it seemed to all who were present ought to be sounded.
§36.6.9in eo modo diversae sententiae erant, quod alii extemplo agendum, alii ex hieme, quae tum ferme media erat, differendum in veris principium, et alii legatos tantummodo mittendos, §36.6.10alii cum omnibus copiis eundum censebant terrendosque metu, si cunctarentur.
On the method of doing this there were various opinions: some thought that they should act immediately; others, that they should defer it until the beginning of spring, since winter was then about half over; some, that only envoys should be sent; others were of the opinion that they should go with all their forces, and terrify them with fear if they should hesitate.